Canada advertising opposition to tariffs on American billboards

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Canada is advertising on American billboards in several states as part of a campaign against tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canadian goods.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says the initiative aims to raise awareness among Americans about the negative economic impact of these tariffs on their expenses, such as groceries and fuel.

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“We’re doing that because we think that we need to send a message to the American people, for them to understand what’s at stake, because this is really going to hurt their livelihoods and have an impact on their wallets,” Joly said during a appearance on CNN last Friday.

Joly urged “hardworking Americans” to talk to their Congressional representatives, mayors, and governors.

The campaign targets 12 Republican-leaning states, including Florida, Nevada, Georgia, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Ohio, where trade with Canada is significant.

The billboards feature messages like “Tariffs are a tax on hardworking Americans” and “Tariffs are a tax on your grocery bill,” emphasizing that the trade policies will hurt American livelihoods and wallets.

Joly spoke on CNN about discussions going on between her and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as other bilateral conversations involving her cabinet colleagues.

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But she emphasized during the interview that the “people watching…are the only ones who can influence what’s going on in the White House because ultimately they are the first victims of the taxes that are imposed by their federal government on them.”

The campaign highlights that trade wars result in job losses and economic damage on both sides of the border. This could help shift public opinion toward viewing Canada as a collaborative partner rather than an adversary in trade disputes.

By highlighting the negative effects of tariffs on American consumers, such as higher grocery and fuel costs, the campaign seeks to generate public discontent with the trade policies.

Leger polling data has shown that more than half of Americans believe tariffs will harm the U.S. economy, and 72 per cent are concerned about rising grocery prices.

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The billboards have gained traction online, with posts about them getting a lot of attention on platforms like Reddit.

One in Arizona reminds residents of the potential costs associated with tariffs. In reporting on the billboards there, the Phoenix New Times noted that Arizona does more international trade with Mexico than Canada, but added that an ABC 15 TV news analysis showed Arizona companies imported $2.5 billion in Canadian products last year. Top among them were mechanical and electrical parts, cars and wood products.

So, while “tariffs on those goods may not affect grocery bills in the Grand Canyon State, as the billboard claims … Arizona consumers could still feel the crunch,” said the Phoenix newspaper.

In Central Florida, opinions ranged from criticism of Canada advertising in the U.S., to acknowledging the campaign’s polite tone. The Canada-backed billboards are turning heads and raising questions for local residents, reports WESH TV in Florida.

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Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida told WESH he has never seen anything like it — a country taking its message directly to the American people.

And he agrees with the Canadian message.

“We just can’t afford to absorb the higher cost which will be passed along to consumers,” Jewett said. “This is Canada’s way of simply saying Americans will be paying for this tariff.”

The reaction was mixed among the Florida residents that WESH spoke with.

One said she didn’t think Canada “should have the right to put anything here.”

Another was complimentary: “It’s typical of Canadians. They’re being nice, really. They’re saying, ‘Hey, look what you’re doing,’ but they’re not coming across like we do to them,” Eduard Pineira said.

The cost for the billboard campaign has not been revealed by Ottawa. The National Post reached out to the PMO and Joly’s office for comment but has not yet receive a response from either.

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